Co-Printed Hinge Structure for Additive Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional manufacturing processes for hinge systems result in significant material waste and increased costs due to the inflexibility of designs, which leads to wasted parts and higher production expenses, especially when components exhibit minor size variations.
Innovation Solution
The development of a co-printed hinge system using additive manufacturing, where the hinge pin is fabricated within the knuckle during a single print operation, allowing for a pre-assembled unit with retention mechanisms and lubricant ports to reduce waste and assembly steps, enabling efficient production of complex assemblies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional manufacturing processes are used to manufacture hinge systems, then manufacturing precision can be maintained, but material waste increases and manufacturing cost rises
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge pin and knuckle are merged into a single co-printed unit, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing and assembly steps. This integration reduces material waste from multiple manufacturing processes and eliminates gaps between components, directly addressing the contradiction between precision and material loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge pin is nested within the knuckle structure during the additive manufacturing process. The pin is printed in situ within the knuckle's internal cavity, allowing precise positioning without separate assembly operations, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision while minimizing material waste.
2Strength
If conventional manufacturing processes are used to manufacture hinge systems, then component strength can be ensured, but assembly time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge pin and knuckle are manufactured as a single integrated component through co-printing, eliminating multiple assembly steps. This merging maintains structural strength through continuous material formation while significantly improving productivity by reducing assembly time and operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge pin is pre-formed within the knuckle structure during the additive manufacturing process itself. This preliminary action ensures proper positioning and structural integrity before final assembly, maintaining strength while accelerating overall manufacturing throughput.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional manufacturing processes are used with rigid designs, then manufacturing precision can be controlled, but adaptability to size variations decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The additive manufacturing process enables parameter changes in the hinge design, allowing the pin and knuckle dimensions to be easily adjusted through digital modeling. This maintains manufacturing precision through controlled deposition while providing adaptability to accommodate size variations without retooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The design transitions from rigid conventional manufacturing to dynamic additive manufacturing, where dimensions can be modified through software parameters. This allows the hinge system to adapt to different size requirements while maintaining precision through process control, resolving the contradiction between precision and adaptability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces material waste and assembly time by creating a pre-assembled hinge system with reduced friction and improved functionality, directly addressing the inefficiencies of conventional manufacturing methods.
Implementation Method 1
Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes involve the layer-by-layer buildup of one or more materials to make a 3-dimensional (3-D) object
Implementation Method 2
Selective laser melting entails fusing (agglomerating) particles of a powder at a temperature below the melting point of the powder material. More specifically, a laser scans a powder bed and melts the powder together where structure is desired
Implementation Method 3
The unitary hinge also includes a lubricant port configured to provide a lubricant between the hinge pin and the knuckle
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods of co-printing a unitary hinge are provided. The unitary hinge may be co-printed using an additive manufacturing process. The unitary hinge includes a hinge pin that is substantially cylindrical in shape. The unitary hinge also includes a knuckle which surrounds a portion of the hinge pin and is configured to be manipulated about the hinge pin. The hinge pin is fabricated in situ with the knuckle such that further assembly is unnecessary. The unitary hinge may also include retention mechanism to retain the hinge within the knuckle without substantially restricting the knuckle from being rotated about the hinge pin. The unitary hinge may further be configured with a fluid port which may, for example, be used to provide a lubricant to an area between the hinge pin and the knuckle or to vacuum powder material or debris from the area.